Ziva's Ghost
by K-Shandra
Summary: His mind would not let go of it: like that movie with Nicolas Cage, where people were convinced he was crazy for drawing a series of squiggly lines. But to be honest, he felt like Bond in Skyfall. Too old to be doing what he was but his loyalty held him accountable.He knew Ziva well enough to know if there wasn't a body she could still be alive… And if she was, he will find her.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost.  
 **Genre:** NCIS – Romance/Angst  
 **Pairing:** Toni, Tali and Ziva  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes and – run – flashbacks.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it then it does not count as a spoiler.  
 **Summery:** His mind would not let go of it: like that movie with Nicolas Cage, where people were convinced he was crazy for drawing a series of squiggly lines. But to be honest, he felt like Bond in Skyfall. Too old to be doing what he was but his loyalty held him accountable. And then there was her Tali, the child with Ziva he never thought he would have. The child that stirred emotions in him, just as her mother had. He could not, would not accept her death. He knew Ziva well enough to know if there wasn't a body she could still be alive… And if she was, he will find her.  
 **Disclaimer:** It's nice borrowing someone else's toys – I'll return them, very relaxed, I promise.  
 **A/N:** Read the summery… Missy would not let it go either… however took her time to put the pieces together.  
 **Written:** over several months in 2016  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **Word Count:** 2,270 (for now)

I love you Ziva.

Four words he has said so many times… but never directly to her. But he had shown her, had been there for her. He never gave up on her, or his hope for them

And for those brief moments, those stolen days together, when they had finally connected, he had almost said them. But he knew it would not have been fair, that she'd not been ready to hear them, although she knew, had to know.

He'd lied to Tim… It wasn't a fond farewell, it had been everything, the accumulation on all their time together, everything they had gone to, and in a manner a plea for her to give them a chance. Yet it had resulted in so much more.

His gaze again falls on the little girl, their daughter, he still had difficulty wrapping his head around that. He was a father. There was a warmth there in his chest, more powerful than anything else he has ever experienced. It filled him with a protective urge, far greater than he had ever felt for Ziva – possibly because he knew Ziva could look after herself. But this little person was wholly dependant on him.

The adjustment had been difficult. While he at first found it difficult to look at Tali, without seeing her mother in her and again realizing his loss. There were so many times he thought of checking up on her. How things could, would have been different if he had. He would have forced her hand, would have made her return with him. As wicked as it sounded, he would have used Tali to get what he wanted… her mother.

His guilt ate him. He had sensed something was wrong, that he'd made a mistake. He'd even shared his thoughts with Gibbs.

He should have pushed harder, should have followed his gut, should have kept in touch. However all the regrets and doubts are not going to bring her back. They will not answer the most burning question he wanted to ask, demand of her… Why hadn't she told him? Why did she keep Tali a secret?

There was no shame in how she'd been conceived. She was truly a child conceived in love, regardless of what anyone else would care to think. Only love could create something as perfect as Tali. Even Orli's reasoning made no sense.

Releasing a heavy sigh he closed his eyes and allowed the memories reign.

The day in the orchard when she had started her new list, buried it. The day he had asked her to come home, that he was fighting for them. It was the closest he'd ever come to begging. The months he spent looking for her, worrying about her. The need that drove him to find her, to fill the void his live was without her. The anger he had felt towards those who withheld information from him… It had all faded, became irrelevant when he knocked on that on final door, and it opened to reveal her.

The relief that coursed through him he could never put to words, but she was there, safe and alive! However his relief was short lived, for although her initial reaction was one of surprise. Her eyes lit up and she appeared – for just a moment – to be happy to see him, but just as quickly the walls again reappeared and she resisted his presence. Her eyes had said one thing and her mouth another, as they so often did when she tried to protect herself, and he thought he could push through it, if only she would let him.

And in the orchard he'd really thought there was a chance for them, that he'd made his desires clear. But he had also seen the person struggling within, the Ziva he knew, struggling with what she thought was best and with what she wanted. There were times he really thought her a martyr, for she always placed her own needs, desires last. Always blamed herself for things she had no control over.

He knew what she'd felt for he'd also felt it at times, and those were usually the times he could count on her support.

And yet…

As the sun withdrew is light causing long shadows in the orchard and her home, things between them shifted. It was subtle at first, the reappearance of the old Ziva, the one whose space he could get into without thinking. The woman he would touch, just because he wanted to.

He remembered the hope he'd fostered for them when he had initially set out on that journey. That time and opportunity had finally lined up for them, that they might just have the opportunity that had always alluded them.

That evening as the house grew darker, after she'd made her intentions clear in the orchard, there was a different energy around them, one they were well familiar with, but had no reason to check. There was no NCIS, no team, no Gibbs, no rules to check it. They drifted closer. Their looks lingered longer, they became unguarded, blatant even. He'd had no need to withhold his desires anymore. He was willing to let her see it, know it and then decide what she wanted… And she'd responded, as he could only have dreamed she would. Her looks were as unguarded, blatant, causing stirs not only within his body but his entire being.

There were only flashes of their first time. It had been so, so unrestricted. It was all a blur of immense sensation, warmth, pleasure… a sense of closeness he'd never before felt. Yet at the same time demanding, passionate and nowhere near long enough. He could still feel her body pressed against his, they way their skins touched, everywhere, without restriction. The way she had moaned his name in utter abandon.

She had answered with her own passion, challenging him to try and sate his desire, to take his fill, yet they'd remained insatiable.

They made no empty promises after that, both knew the complexity of the matters that needed to be resolved, but they'd given themselves those moments, those few stolen days, where they allowed their bodies to speak for their hearts and minds – unchecked.

For two whole days they had been wrapped around one another, not leaving the bedroom for anything other than the bathroom or to replenish their strengths.

And yet it was not all sex. He'd spent hours simply her holding her, cuddling with her, not wanting the world to intrude on them. Their naked skins pressed closely together, at other times joined and hardly moving. They had shared a level of intimacy that was difficult to describe, one had to experience it to understand. There was so much said between them, without the need for words.

He had tried his best not to think of it since his return, because thinking of it gave him hope, the kind of hope that her necklace lent him; that she would return once she was ready… but the little body sleeping on his couch conveyed an entirely different message.

His gazed again upon the image of his sleeping daughter, their daughter. Even throughout all the hurt and heartache of losing Ziva, Tali was the one ray of sunshine he'd needed to carry on. She was the affirmation of a moment in time that could never be denied or forgotten – certainly never regretted. She was Ziva all over again, only one he got to keep and love without reservations. And yet at the same time there was an brewing anger inside him, for all the time lost, for all the milestones missed. He knew Ziva had not withheld his identity from her, but Tali, he, they could have had so much more. He could have witnessed Ziva's body swell with his child, would even had been cocky about it… he had after all managed to catch the ninja. He would have felt Tali push up against her mother's abdomen and he would have seen her develop into the little person she already was.

Her sudden appearance in his life was just as shocking as her mother's had been, yet he would not trade even a moment for anything in the world. He'd promised himself that he would be the type of father he never had, that neither of her grandfathers ever were… But he wanted Ziva there as well. And that was possibly his biggest challenge. He was angry at her for not considering his feelings, but at the same time grateful for the gift she had given him. A gift that could have been taken from him, just as her mother had been, without him ever having known. He had no idea how he would have felt about that, only how he felt now. It was difficult to imagine such a scenario but if he'd had to guess, it would have been anger.

But boiling underneath it all was an uncertainty, his gut telling him that things weren't right, that something was off. It was like he'd missed the obvious signs, the obvious gaps he had not thought to question at the time.

His daughter was only two, yet she'd survived unscathed. She also did not seem traumatized by the ordeal. Which could only mean one of two things, she was used to being separated from Ziva, for periods of time, which he was uncertain as to how he should react, or Ziva had prepared her. The latter caused his blood to run cold, because that meant she'd known they ware in danger and she hadn't contacted him.

However way he looked at it, Tali should have been more traumatized by events, they had worked with children he'd seen how they respond in such situations, how traumatized they were. Tali did not cling to the people she knew or trusted… and as much as he would have thought it a Ziva trait, it was not human nature.

His gaze shifted to the go-to bag, then shook his head. It had been too meticulously packed. There were things in it that an average person would not have included, they were not necessities, they were not things a child would need. Which only left one conclusion – Ziva had packed the bag. She knew that what it contained and a special meaning. And just like the time in Israel, they were part of a clue a message. He pulled the bag closer and pulled out the non-essential contents. Kaliph he could understand, but the photo and scarf confused him. The scarf was also not one he recognized, and to understand the message he had to know each of the components and how they fitted together. And then there would be those he did not yet have, those he were most likely to find in Israel.

He again looked at his daughter, he would need to see the farmhouse to determine the size of the mortar round and if she had indeed been home at the time. And then there were the facts Orli had not divulged. Ziva had returned to Mossad, even though she had made it clear she wanted to let go of the badge. It did not make any sense, nothing made sense… But then that was Mossad, they divulge only what they want you to know.

He picked up the photo and smiled in remembrance, it had been one of their better trips. He frowned and then flipped it over, quickly checking the backing. Finding nothing he pulled it free and removed the backing boar placing both on the table. His breath caught as he recognized the handwriting on the back of the photo. His fingers brushed over it, almost as if he was hoping he could sense her in those four words.

He took a deep breath and then placed the photo face down on the table. He ran his hands over his face releasing a heavy sigh as he again looked at the words. _"The morning I knew"_ Knew what? He wanted to know. The words did not mean anything in particular to him and he had no idea if they were related to the photo or whether she was trying so say something to him.

He reached for the scarf, turning it over before again lifting it to his nose. It smelt like her and caused an ache to settle around his heart. But other than those obvious effects he could assign no meaning to it.

His gaze again landed on the dissembled photo. _Paris?_ He shook his head, It would be too easy, Ziva would never make anything that easy. Others who knew her may consider it, but he knew better. Last time it took five objects, he only had two, his gaze shifted to Tali – maybe three.

He thought back to her words the afternoon he'd found her, what she had said about Ari and the others. That the centre point of it all was her… but it did not make sense.

Rule 3 crept into his mind, _"Don't believe what you are told, double check."_ and even though he no longer worked for NCIS, certain things left a lifelong impact.

He thought of Orli, of what she said, it had been so specific, rehearsed even. What had that old guy in X Files said? Something along the line of; " _The best lies, the most believable ones, were those hidden between two truths."_ But which were the truth and which were the lies?

They had to return to Israel, there were questions that needed answers.

More to follow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost – Chapter two  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes and – run – flashbacks.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it then it does not count as a spoiler.  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **A/N:** I use UK spelling, if that is a problem for you – go bitch about my spelling to someone else.  
 **Word Count:** 2,242

Travelling with a toddler was far more tedious that he thought it would be, and not for obvious reasons. Tali seemed to understand that they had to get on the airplane and that it was important, and the flight attendants were very accommodating of her, it was the customs officials that were the pain.

There were endless questions, they wanted a marriage certificate, a permission letter from her mother, he'd even been detained as a suspect in child trafficking. He didn't have a copy of Ziva's death certificate and Tali only had an emergency passport, an Israeli one at that. The rigmarole was possibly why Orli had brought her over in the first place, No one would question the director of Mossad travelling with an entourage.

Without his badge he could not pull rank, and it was the first time he'd actually regretted resigning. It took a call to McGee, who got Vance to call the airport and clear the matter before they even allowed him to board the plane.

Their arrival in Israel resulted in the same, only he was well used to being detained in Israel. The arrival of an officer from Mossad was almost welcome, although it was one he did not recognize. The man introduced himself as Samuel and escorted them to Mossad.

It was obvious from the looks that everyone at the Mossad offices knew Tali, hell everyone knew him, which only alarmed him more. Tali chanted ima, ima as they moved along which he already knew was going to cause him trouble, since it was the one request he knew would not be fulfilled that day.

They were escorted to Orli's office, which in some way took him by surprise, he'd expected a conference room instead, although he doubted it would be more welcoming than their interrogation rooms.

Orli looked up as the Officer escorting them announced their arrival, she nodded and rose to meet them – although guarded. She dismissed the officer but asked her to bring Tali something to drink. Once the door closed she turned to Tony.

"I had not expected of you to come so soon."

"Really? Why not?" Tony challenged.

Orli gestured at Tali, "For obvious reasons, children are quite demanding."

From her response Tony knew he was unlikely to get anything more from her, "I have come to address the matters of Ziva's estate, to make the required decisions."

Orli tilted her head and he knew she did not believe him. "I should warn you Tony, your interference would not be welcomed."

"What interference?" He demanded.

Orli simply looked at him, "If you are going to be a stubborn mule about it then I will allow you to knock your head against a stone."

"You know you weren't exactly forthcoming yourself."

"And how is that so."

"You dropped Tali off but you did not provide me with a birth certificate, inoculation card or even Ziva's death certificate. I cannot even get her into day care without those. I had to pull strings just to get her on the plane."

Orli nodded, "I apologize, it was an oversight on my side."

Tony shook his head, "Such things aren't oversights, Mossad does not make such oversights unless you intended for me to have difficulties in travelling with her."

Orli finally relented, "Yes I had expected of you to return. I could imagine the lure of Ziva's estate would eventually bring you here."

"The what?" Tony demanded.

"I am not unfamiliar with your father's past actions. You see Tony, I make it my business to know what I can of the people who have access to prominent officers – both past and present."

"Meaning?" Tony demanded.

"You have resigned from NCIS which means you hope that Ziva's estate would be large enough to support a freeloading lifestyle."

Tony could feel his anger rise, but held it I check, he had thought no such thin in fact he had only planned to use it as an excuse. He had no idea how large an estate Ziva would have left behind or to what amount the Israeli government would levy estate tax on such things. Instead he countered, "I would be the last to draw assumptions. Your reputation with the David family is not lily white."

Orli looked at him and then at Tali, "She was right you know."

"Who?" Tony demanded, knowing Orli was avoiding the subject.

"Ziva."

"What do you mean?" Tony demanded, he tried not to react at her name but it was still impossible.

"She said you would do the right thing by Tali if it ever came to that." Orli said as she sat down. Tony bit his tongue, he did not like the fact that Ziva had discussed such matters with Orli. Instead he outright demanded. "Was that before or after she rejoined Mossad." Tried as he might he could not keep his anger from surfacing, saw the change in Orli's demeanour.

Orli looked pointedly at Tali as she spoke, 'That Tony is a discussion for another time."

"No, I want answers now!" His insistence caused Tali to startle. She looked between the two of them but sided up to Tony. "You are as uncaring as her father was."

just then the officer returned with a box of juice for Tali. Tony watched as the little girl took it from her and beamed.

"It is her favourite." Orli said, then turned to the officer "Please summon a car, I will escort Mr. DiNozzo home."

"I'm not leaving." Tony was quick to counter.

"I did not mean that home." Orli said then dismissed the officer with a gesture.

"I still want answers." Tony said.

"Answers you will have, but not here." Orli said and then stepped towards the door.

Tony frowned but followed her, halting only to lift Tali.

They entered the underground drop off bay, and Orli instructed the driver of their standard issue black Mercedes SUV's to get out and follow in the other vehicle. She then got behind the wheel herself.

Tony hesitated for a moment but then Orli indicated to him to put Tali in the back. He looked at the backseat and saw the car seat installed there.

"Tali has travelled with me on several occasions." She said as Tony opened the door.

"This is your car?" Tony asked.

"Yes." Orli said.

Tony put Tali in the chair, taking the empty juice box from her before closing the door. He got in the front with Orli before realizing their luggage were still inside.

"Our bags."

"They will be with the other officers." Orli deadpanned as she placed the vehicle in gear.

They stopped at the exit and then joined traffic before Orli started talking. "Even before Tali's birth, actually as soon as I realized Ziva's intent to remain in Israel I asked her to come back to Mossad."

"I would have thought she would decline." Tony Seethed.

"She did at first, but it did not deter me. I knew it would be easier to ensure her safty is re remained within Mossad."

"And how was sending her out into the field going to ensure her safety?" Tony demanded,

"It was not like that, Tony."

"Well then why don't you enlighten me as to the facts."

"You of all people should know what an asset to Mossad Ziva would be."

"Still does not make sense, she wanted out."

"As she claimed to." Orli said.

"But you would not give in," Tony seethed.

"Yes, I persisted, but it was for her own good."

"How so? How could putting her in the line of danger be good for her?" Tony demanded.

"Zive did not return to Mossad–" Orli started but was cut short.

"Yes she did you just confirmed it."

"Perhaps you should let me finish my sentences," Orli reprimanded him, "And maybe then you will learn the answers you seek."

Tony remained quiet and Orli continued. "Ziva did not return to Mossad as an officer."

"What then." Tony demanded.

"Ziva had something Mossad needed far more than another officer."

"What was that?" Tony demanded.

"Experience." Orli replied.

"What?" Tony asked, confused.

"Officers with her experience are in short supply, which was why I approached her. I would have been a fool to let her go," Orli said. "She knew not only how to move around undetected, and all the procedures. She also knew how seemingly invisible traces could be found and put together. She could better prepare others for similar situations she had survived."

"So Ziva returned to Mossad as an instructor."

"Yes." Orli said. "And like everything else she ever took on, she excelled in it. Her junior officers were some of the best rounded recruits we ever had." Orli made to say something but visibly thought twice about it.

Tony remained silent for some time, before finally asking, "Where are you taking us?"

"When Ziva was in Tel-Aviv she would stay with her aunt Neta. Tali is quite fond of the woman. I thought it best if I took you there." Orli glanced at Tony, must have seen his reluctance. "I have already notified her of your arrival."

Tony knew better than to ask how, and turned to look at Tali, "We're going to see aunt Neta."

"Ima?" The little girl demanded.

"No Tali, no Ima."

Tali started playing up and Orli said something in Hebrew, which caused Tali to calm down, before again addressing Tony. "Neta will help you with her, you will not be able to take her everywhere with you."

"But I cannot impose."

"I doubt it will be that. Most of Tali clothing and furniture is at Neta's home and she will feel safe there."

"But I cannot."

"I think you will find Neta welcoming of your company. She never did approve of Ziva's decision to raise Tali on her own."

"Well at least someone is on my side,"

"I think you will find her more than that." Orli said, bringing the vehicle to a standstill in front of a modest home.

Moments later an elderly woman opened the door, causing Tali to shout, "Savta Dodah."

Tony's forehead furrowed. "Grandmother aunt?"

"Neta fills both roles." Orli said before getting out.

Tony got out and then helped Tali out, who immediately ran to the elder woman. Neta, with a great deal more agility than Tony would have expected, reached down and swooped the little girl up, giving her a tight hug while looking at Tony. Tony did not miss the sheen of tears in Neta's eyes as he approached.

The agents brought up their bags as Tony addressed Neta. "I Could make different arrangements if –" But was cut short.

"I would have no such talk," Neta firmly said, for a moment reminding him of Ziva. "One does not question God when he answers your prayers." Neta said as she again lowered Tali to the ground. She then stepped closer to Tony, "Ziva was right in loving you."

Tony again frowned and turned to look at Orli.

"It is against Jewish custom, for a woman to take a non-Jew."

Tony looked at Neta, uncertain as to how much she knew, also uncertain as to how he should respond. He instead opted for the truth, "She will always be loved."

Tony was quick to discover that at Neta's Tali had a set routine, which she settled into almost immediately. The room that she had shared with her mother had everything he could need, and after Tali had gone to sleep Tony had looked at the bed, uncertain as to whether he could sleep in it. The room smelt of her. Her presence there seemed overwhelming, and yet he could not bring himself to settle on the bed. He looked at his daughter as she slept safely in her cot, kelev close by.

He sensed her presence and turned to the door, where Neta stood.

"What did you mean when you said God answered your prayers?"

Neta stepped into the room, "Ever since Tali's birth, I believed that you should know. It is not right for a father not to know of his child, but Ziva… Ziva was stubborn."

"That's no suprize," Tony said watching as Neta came to stand next to Tali's cot.

Neta smiled before continuing, "I respected Ziva's wishes, knew what arrangements she had made, but that does not mean I did not have any prayers of my own."

Tony's forehead furrowed, not understanding.

Neta looked at him, her head tilting, however she continued. "When they came to collect Tali, when they took her bag, I knew something had happened."

It took a mere heartbeat for him to realize what Neta was saying. "Tali was with you that night, the night the mortar hit the farmhouse?"

Neta nodded, "I only found out after they had collected Tali, but I knew something was wrong."

"Where was Ziva?' Tony quickly asked.

"I do not know. I only know that she decided against going to the farm for the weekend. Why I do not know."

Tony heart raced at that, his suspicions that she was sending him a message confirmed. Dared he hope? He looked at Neta not knowing what to say, "I need to speak with Orli, now."

Neta shook her head, "You need to rest, sleep."

Tony rubbed his face with both hands. "There is no way I will sleep now."

"You need to rest, you can speak with Orli in the morning."

More to follow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost – Chapter three  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes and – run – flashbacks.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it then it does not count as a spoiler.  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **A/N:**  
 **Word Count:** 1,727

Even before Orli arrived at Mossad head office tony was waiting for her, at the lower entrance, but before he could say anything, she held up her hand to silence him, adding a firm "Not here."

Tony looked around but then nodded. He followed her indoors and to her office, agitatedly waiting for the others to leave before stating, "You lied to me, Zivva was not in the farmhouse."

"A lie needed at the time." Orli.

"What?" Tony asked in disbelief, "Do you ever tell the truth?"

"If I had arrived in America with Tali, saying here is your daughter her mother is missing. What would you have done?"

"I would have gone looking for her," Tony said without thought. Fact is I was already ready to leave."

Orli nodded, "And what do you think would have happened?"

"I would have done a better job at finding her than your Mossad officers have."

Orli nodded, "Yes, it is well known that you are the only person who can find when she does not want to be found. In fact many of the officers here look up to you for that."

"So why lie to me? Why bring me my daughter when you're not even certain her mother is dead."

"Because it was what Ziva asked me to do."

Tony's brow furrowed.

"Yesterday I only told you part of it." Tony made to interrupt but again Orli silenced him, this time by shaking her head. "Ziva's request to me was that if anything were to happen to her, which includes her suddenly going missing, that I was to take Tali to you. Yes, I will admit, the explosion at the farmhouse made a convenient cover story, but we needed you to stay away."

"What!" Tony said in disbelief.

"I had hoped that it would take you some time to settle with Tali, Some time before you started to question the inconsistencies. I should have known it would be sooner rather than later."

"I'm going to find her." Tony firmly stated.

"And by doing so you will inevitably lead them right to her." Orli's words instantly chilled his blood. "I see you have not considered that." Orli took a deep breath before she continued. "As I said before, it is known that the only person who can find Ziva is you. All they will have to do is watch your movements. It was also one of the reasons why Ziva was adamant that I get Tali out of the country as quickly as possible. That way they could not use Tali as leverage."

Tony's heart sped up, "Oh, God I left her with–" he started.

"I have placed officers near the home." Orli said.

"That is why there were no paperwork for Tali."

"As mush as I abhor to admit this, we were caught off guard. Were it not for me escorting her, they would not have allowed her to leave."

"So now you just want me to sit back and do nothing, you know I can't do that."

"Actually, I was hoping that I could count on your cooperation."

"And why would I do that."

"Because I want Ziva found as much as you do."

"Somehow I doubt that. Besides you just said that I would be leading them to her."

"Yesterday, I insinuated that you were here for Ziva's estate, to settle matters."

Tony could feel his anger mounting. And Oli must have sensed it because she held up her hands to calm him.

"All I ask of you is to give us the opportunity to determine who would be observing you. It will not take a great deal of your time."

Tony nodded in understanding, "So what do you want me to do?"

"I will arrange for someone to accompany you to the farmhouse."

"Why?" Tony demanded.

"If you are to believe that she is dead you would want to have a look at the site. And I suspect that whoever is involved would have someone observing the farmhouse since your arrival."

Tony nodded.

"On your return you are to visit an estate agent and request an appraisal."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it would appear as if you are attending to the estate, and intend to dispose of the farm."

Every sinew in his body rejected Orli's suggestion. "I can't… That was where Ziva was born."

"Asking for an appraisal is not selling the property, but it implies intent." Orli countered. "I will also arrange for you to meet with Ziva's solicitor, he has been informed of the circumstance and will allow you access to her estate information and what it entails."

"I'm not interested." Tony deadpanned.

"All I'm asking of you is to keep up appearances, at least until Tali's documents are ready. You having resigned from NCIS will soon enough confirm to whomever that you are not looking for Ziva"

Tony relented and nodded in agreement.

"I will arrange for a vehicle to take you to the farm."

Tony nodded and stood. "I just have one more question."

"What is that."

"How did Ziva really disappear? What did you have her working on?"

"Ziva changed her mind about going to the farm, I can only suspect that she somehow knew. She instead arranged a short notice training session with her junior officers. She took them out into the field and issued instructions. After that no one saw her again."

"And what do the officers have to say."

"Only that she did not arrive at the rendezvous point."

"She used it as a cover."

Orli nodded. "When they reported it to me, and with the farmhouse, I knew Ziva would not reappear any time soon."

Tony alighted from the vehicle. The last time he had arrived there it had been with such hope, now only devastation remained. The shell of the house still stood, the remaining walls charred black. He approached the house and shook his head. Just standing there would have been enough to confirm that Tali was not in the house at the time of the explosion. The entire of the interior was scorched. He determined that whoever was responsible would have needed to use a medium sized mortar to cause such damage. Which mean that whoever was involved had access to weapons and a vehicle to mount the launching pipe. He moved about the home for some time before his gaze settled on the orchard.

A restricting sensation enveloped his heart as he remembered the moment they'd shared there… What had happened afterwards. As if by some invisible force he was drawn to it again. A part, an important part of Ziva was buried there, and if he was to make it all believable he would have to retrieve it.

He entered the orchard, only to realize that retrieving the box might be more challenging than he'd anticipated. Ziva had chosen the spot, and possibly could have moved it since.

Tony slowly worked his way through the orchard, if the Mossad officer had any questions he kept them to himself. Tony looked at the ground, yet knowing to check for any disturbances would be foolish, it had been more than two years since they had buried it. He looked around him several times, he knew it had to be within the last five trees of a lane, just off the middle, but he would not have time to dig up every lane.

Drawing in a deep breath he closed his eyes: _Come on DiNozzo, it was important, an important moment. You must remember something be able to feel something if you were close to it._

He moved to the next line of trees, his eyes again shifting over the ground, when he saw it, Would not have if he had not been looking for it. The ground was disturbed, its formation only slightly altered, as if it had nee reshaped to fit into the landscape, but the soil still too loose.

He moved closer and knelt beside it, the location felt similar. He pushed the top layer of soil away, expecting to find the ground beneath compacted to some extend, but it too was loose. His heart leapt into his throat at the thought of her possibly having removed it.

He moved with more purpose, dug deeper, deeper than he remembered them burying it, and still nothing. He was about to give up when his fingers brushed to top on something solid. With renewed vigour he pushed the soil from it, finally working the box free. He twisted it, which caused something hard inside to hit the side. He frowned, knowing that she had not originally buried anything else with it.

He pulled the box free and placed it on the edge of the hole, carefully lifting the lid, only belatedly thinking it could have been rigged. He reached in and pulled out the zip-seal plastic bag within. He looked at both sides, before opening the bag and extracting the folded sheet of paper within.

His breath caught as he realized what he held. It was Tali's unabridged birth certificate, listing him as the father. A warm sensation filled his heart and his lips pulled into a smile. A sense of pride filled him, warmed him as he again folded the certificate and resealed it in the bag. He looked into the box and again frowned. Reaching in he withdrew the pieces of the cell phone realizing that it must have been it that had hit the side.

He did not recognize it, but thought it hers: _Why else would she remove the battery and place it in the box._

He pushed it aside and pulled out the other piece of paper, the one which had initially been buried therein. She had added to it two more entries. The first: _To be the best mother I can to Tali._ And: _To one day tell him how much I love him, and how grateful I am for his gift_.

The second entry caused a lump to for in his throat. "I will find you Ziva, and I will never let you go again." He vowed before closing the box and returning to the vehicle, He would make sense of all of it's contents later, but he had the last pieces of her clue, now he only had to understand them.

More to follow.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost – Chapter Four  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes and – run – flashbacks.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it then it does not count as a spoiler.  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **A/N:** Thank you for all the reviews, and to be honest, yes I stopped posting here because of complaints about my preference for UK Spelling.  
 **Word Count:** 982 (this was actually part of Chapter Three)

Tony sat staring at the objects on the table, trying to find the common link. The afternoon at the realtor had been uneventful, the man had been despondent at the prospect, staring that the damage to the house brought the value down significantly. Tony had barely listened past that, but thanked the man when he said he would go out and take a look at the property for a better assessment.

He picked up the cell phone, it was clean of everything except two numbers that made no sense whatsoever. They were definitely not phone numbers. Placing it back on the table, his gaze shifted to Tali's birth certificate and the other sheet of paper. He took them at face value: the list because he knew of it and the certificate because he realized that somehow Ziva knew he would excavate the box. His gaze shifted to the photo and the scarf the first two items.

Neta placed a cup of coffee on the table, her movements just as stealthy as Ziva's. "It is Arabic coffee." She said as she moved to sit at the table.

"Thank you." Tony said smiling.

"What is this?" Neta asked, gesturing to the objects on the table.

Tony didn't know how to explain it to Neta, certain the woman would think him crazy for trying to form some connection, for seeing the hidden message.

"They are Ziva's things." Tony said and picked up the scarf.

"And you are looking for the message." Neta calmly stated.

Tony looked at her and then nodded. "How did you know."

"It is something every Israeli knows. Things convey messages, meaning. Although you may not know the meaning of the message, or may not even consider it relevant because it may only seem like an everyday item. Placed together they tell their own story."

"That I understand. But this," Tony lifted and picked up the scarf. "…this is unfamiliar to me. I know it is Ziva's but I cannot place it."

Neta smiled a sad smile as she reached for the scarf. "This was the scarf Ziva wore when she visited the Western Wall after her father's murder."

Tony nodded, but still felt the burning ache in the pit of his stomach when he thought back to then, how she had turned to someone else for comfort, and then stopped. He knew he had to consider the meaning for Ziva for the scarf, or he would not understand the message.

Neta handed the scarf back to him then looked at the objects again, pointing to the phone, "I do not recognize that."

"It was in the box we buried on the farm." Tony said.

"Does it work?"

"I charged the battery, but other than the two numbers on it, it is useless. It has no network reception and I have no idea who the service provider could be."

"Well other than that object," Neta said pointing to the phone, "All the others here have one thing in common."

"What's that?" Tony was quick to ask.

"You, or your influence on her life," Neta said pointing to the note. "The times you've shared," She said pointing to the photo, "And the child you share." she said pointing to the birth certificate.

Tony held up the scarf, "And this?"

"Your support during difficult times."

Tony frowned at that, it was the last assumption he would have drawn from it.

"Ziva has confided in me." Neta said, smiling, "You have been a stable presence in her life, one she knew she could rely on."

Tony's brow furrowed, "Knew? Past tense."

"With Tali there were some changes." Neta started. "As you know she was not planed." Tony made to object but Neta silenced him by shaking her head. "Ziva cared not for what others thought, she loved Tali – possibly even more so because she is your child. But she knew a time would come when Tali would ask about her father and what happened to him. Ziva knew that by not telling you about Tali you would feel resentful towards her."

Tony nodded, swallowing against the lump in his throat.

"But then Ziva would have had her reasons, she always has."

Tony cleared his throat before he asked. "Why do you speak of her in the pas tense."

Neta tilted her head and looked right into his eyes as she spoke. "I realize that you hope to find her alive still. But I have lived in Israel all my life and know that one can cheat death only so many times. Ziva is no exception."

Tony visibly swallowed and lowered his gaze to the table. He knew that until they had a body, until there was no denying it, he would not stop looking.

Neta rose from her seat. "Sometime the obvious answers are the right answers."

Tony nodded, but said nothing.

"I'm going to bed, please turn out all the lights."

Tony again nodded. Then looked up again, "Neta!" Neta turned to face him again. "Thank you, for everything."

Neta nodded, "It was for the right reasons, Tony, remember that."

With that Neta left him to his thoughts. He gathered up everything for some reason halting when he picked up the phone. Neta's words rung in his ear _, "Sometime the obvious answers are the right answers."_ He pulled out his own phone and opened up the Google app on his phone. He tapped in the two numbers: 52.5192 and 13.4061 and hit search. His heart raced as the results came up, of all the places he would have thought, that was the last place he would look: They numbers were the GPS coordinates for Berlin. Ziva was not avoiding him, she knew how to give him just enough information for him to follow. He only needed the opportunity, a legit reason to go to Berlin. He would also not inform Orli of his discovery.

More to follow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost – Chapter Five  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes and – run – flashbacks.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it then it does not count as a spoiler.  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **A/N:** And the tale continues.  
 **Word Count:** 1,897

The following morning Tony sat with Neta and Tali. Tali had picked on his improved mood and babbled away during breakfast, pointing at things and calling their names in Hebrew. Tony responded with the English names.

"You appear much improved this morning," Neta said as Tony again threatened to tickle Tali, although the threat alone had her break into giggles that caused him to smile.

"That I am." He said, however did not divert his attention from his daughter.

"You have come to accept matters then." Neta cautiously asked.

Tony shook his head, "I understand Ziva's message."

"And this has given you closure?" Neta asked, hesitantly.

Tony then looked at her, but nodded. "You could say that."

"You know something." Neta said.

Tony just smiled.

"I also know when not to ask things." Neta said, "What have you planned today."

"I have to go see the solicitor. And then I want to check in with Orli see how they are doing with Tali's paperwork."

"You are going to take her back to America." Neta sadly said.

"There is less conflict there, I think she will grow up happy there."

"Then you should at least allow an old woman to visit from time to time."

Tony nodded, "There's always Skype."

Neta shook her head, "You young one's and your computers."

Tony entered the solicitors office at five minutes to ten, and surprisingly found the solicitor to be closer to his age than Ziva's father. The man introduced himself as Emil and gave an abbreviated account of the firm's dealings with the David family. It did not surprise Tony when he was informed that Emil's father had handled the family's legal affairs.

After the initial introductions they settled down to the business at hand. The longer Emil continued the more reluctant Tony became. There were several properties, several accounts, and it all just seemed too much to get his head around. He had know that Ziva's father had left her a substantial inheritance – and her in turn to Tali. He better understood Qrli's assumption. Had he been like his father he would have accepted it all with glee, patted himself on the back even. But with Ziva… He would be happy just to have her. He dropped his head into his palms, releasing a heavy sigh. He could understand why she had opted to remain in Israel, It would have eased the management of the estate.

"…. There are several safety deposit boxes all over the world. Eli and Ziva never disclosed all of their locations or their contents," Emil continued. "Ziva did however tell me that the safety deposit box in Berlin has a list of all the locations."

At the mention of Berlin Tony's head snapped up, "Wait, say that again. The part about Berlin."

"There is a safe deposit box in Berlin."

"Berlin, as in Germany Berlin."

Emil nodded his head in confusion, "Unless you know of another Berlin."

"Where in Berlin?" Tony demanded, only belatedly realizing that his over enthusiasm could be construed in a completely different light.

Emil perused the document before him, "It is located in Mitte, Schumann Street."

"I'm going to need that address." Tony said

The man reluctantly nodded then proceeded to write down the address. "I suspect they will require some form of verification. I can provide you with a letter."

Tony simply nodded as he took the slip of paper from the man, Knowing that in all likelihood Ziva would left something for him there, which will point the way forward.

Not long thereafter Tony took his leave, the note held between his fingertips providing him something substantial. He did not need to look at the address, it was already burnt into his mind.

He settled behind the steering well of Neta's runabout then pulled out his phone, only to realize he did not have Orli's number. Placing his phone back in his pocket, he looked out of the windscreen, his eyes for a moment narrowing. Then he shook his head, If he was being followed, the person would not make himself as obvious.

Half an our later he pulled up outside Mossad's headquarters.

The woman at reception looked at him hesitantly as he approached, but held her ground. "The director is engaged at the moment."

"I'll wait." Tony said, a strong note of determination in his voice. He looked around, "Where's the chairs?"

The woman again looked hesitantly at him before gesturing to one of the others. "I will escort you to the conference room."

"Oh that charming room with four concrete walls." Tony teasingly said, causing the guy to look at him in distaste.

"Now I understand why the others warned me of you." The man said as he led the way.

Tony settled into one of the hard seats and like a teenager pulled out his phone and started playing a game, he knew he would be under observation, and that they would let him "stew" for a while.

Oddly, Orli stepped into the room a little more than a half an hour later, stating, "You could just have called me, Tony."

"I would have, only I don't have your number." Tony said keeping his expression straight. He knew that Orli was as good as Vance at keeping her cards close to her chest.

Orli looked at him and nodded, then flatly stated, "I'll accept that." She moved closer to him before continuing, "Why are you here."

"I've come to check up, see how things are going." Tony nonchalantly said.

"You cannot come here so often, You draw too much attention to yourself.'

"You should tell that to the officer that's following me. Mossad's standards must have dropped."

Orli nodded, "So you have seen him."

"Was a bit obvious not to." Tony said. "What you put the worst cadet on the job."

"He is a junior officer, and I have learnt that it is easier to put a young officer on surveillance work when you want others to know that someone is being watched."

"You use his mistakes to your advantage."

"If you are obviously being watched, then whoever is following you will keep their distance."

"I thought you wanted to catch them."

"I want to identify them first." Orli corrected.

"More like you want to waste my time."

"You know as well as I do that it is not that easy."

"Well easy or not you are going to have to work faster."

"Are you planning on going somewhere?" Orli asked

"As a matter of fact, yes, I am." Tony countered. "I would like to go home and get Tali settled into a routine, possibly day care in the mornings. So how is her paperwork coming along?"

"It will be a while still before we receive the reissue of her birth certificate."

"And Ziva's Death certificate?"

"It is standard practice to wait six months before issuing a death certificate for an officer who has gone missing on duty."

"I thought you said she wasn't an officer." Tony challenged her,

"You know what I mean, Tony."

"Then I will need a letter of consent, now, because I plan to take Tali home."

"This is her home." Oril stated.

"Her home is now with me."

Orli nodded, "I will have one drawn up and sent to the house, when do you plan to leave?"

"As soon as I've booked us."

"I understand." Orli said her voice carrying a note of sadness.

Tony took his leave and then returned to Neta's home.

He confirmed the time and put a request through to his father who moments later replied. Tony then turned on his Skype. It was late in the evening already but he wanted to finalize arrangements.

"Hello Junior, how are things that side, seen any prospects?"

Tony already felt irritated, but said, "No dad, that is not why I called."

"I imagine not. Where is that granddaughter of mine?"

"She's sleeping already."

"What a pity." His father said, cheerlessly.

"I'm calling to ask a favour."

Senior nodded, "If I can help."

"I want to send Tali home. I need you to pick her up at the airport."

"Now Junior, I know I have not been the best of fathers but I at least thought you would have learnt from my mistakes."

"It's not like that dad."

"Oh, how so?"

"I need to fetch something, but it would not be safe for Tali. I was hoping I could send her to you, I won't be more than a day or so behind her."

"You are going to send her alone."

"No, of course not Dad, I'm going to ask Neta to accompany her."

"I see. Well she'll be welcome here anytime, You know that."

"Thanks dad, I'll let you know which flights."

Tony ended the call and sat for a moment thinking things over. The sound of someone moving caused him to turn around. "How long have you been there?" He asked Neta.

"Long enough to know your plans. And like your father I do not approve your decision. Tali has just bonded with you."

"So you will not travel with her."

"I did not say that. But just as with Ziva, I will tell you my thoughts, and I do not think this is a good idea."

"I can't take her with me, not where I'm going."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have time to get visas for both of you."

"Where are you planning to go?"

"Germany."

"What is in Germany?"

 _Ziva_ , Tony thought, but answered, "Ziva left something there for me."

"That was her message." Neta stated.

Tony nodded.

"Well Israelis don't need Visas to travel to Germany. You have Tali's birth certificate that lists you as her father, they will allow her in."

Tony thought it over for some time, but released a heavy sigh, "I don't know, I don't have any contacts in Germany that'll be able to help if there was a problem."

"And you expect there to be."

"Well Mossad is following me around. How much trouble do you think that can cause."

"Enough for you to be concerned for your daughter."

Tony nodded.

"Then I will travel with her to America, she will need someone she knows."

"Thank you, Neta."

Neta turned to leave but halted halfway to the door, turning back to face Tony, "I hope that what you find in Germany is what you hope to find."

Tony nodded, "So do I."

Left on his own, Tony brought up the online booking company. He scanned for direct flights to America. There was only one available and it had only one seat available. The rest were stopovers… two via Germany. "Maybe it is the gods telling me I must take Tali with." Tony mumbled to himself. Relenting to his gut he searched for flights allowing for a longer layover, possibly an open ticket. After half an hour he booked three tickets to Germany, leaving the following evening. If anyone questioned the solicitor, as Mossad obviously would have by then, his response to Berlin would be known, and if someone followed him, the three of them flying to Germany first and visiting the bank before continuing home was less likely to draw unneeded attention, than him going there on his own.

Once done he pulled out his phone and messaged his father, "No need to collect Tali, we'll return together."


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost – Chapter Six  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes and – run – flashbacks.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it then it does not count as a spoiler.  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **A/N:** German nation forgive me, I only know your most popular foods.  
 **Word Count:** 2,402.

The trip was easier the second time round. Tali had settled to travelling and with Neta the entire trip seemed smoother, even getting through customs had been considerably easier. The alteration in time however interfered with Tali's routine, leaving her far more cranky than Tony would have liked, but then he suspected that his own impatience would have had some contribution as well.

He checked them into a hotel, booking separate rooms, He knew enough of Jewish culture not to opt for a suite, besides it afforded him some time to himself, time he desperately needed. He ensured that Tali and Neta had everything they needed, before setting off at a walk.

Night time in Berlin was beautiful especially around Mitte. He watched people go abut their lives, unable to decipher their conversations however their body language spoke for them. The beer halls were filled with lively music while the smell of _bratwurst_ and _buletten_ filled the air. Lively calls of _'prost'_ surrounded him. They were people who reminded him of what it was to continue with their lives. To create moments and memories with friends and loved ones – something that only served to amplify his loneliness, the emptiness he had felt for such a long time. And if he were honest with himself, really honest, it was an emptiness he'd only experience whenever Ziva was not around.

He returned to the hotel to find that both Tali and Neta had gone to bed, the just over four hour flight had not significantly altered their body rhythms, but even he felt tired.

The following morning he set off for the bank on Schumann street and was one of the first clients there. The lady at information looked at him with a puzzled expression when ha asked to speak with the bank manager, instead offering him the service of on of the consultants instead.

He refused and insisted that he had to speak with the bank manager, so much so that security was called and one of the senior consultants came to speak with him.

"I need to speak with the bank manager." Tony again said.

"I'm sorry, but he is not available at the moment, can I possibly assist you."

"Where is his office, I'll wait for him," Tony said.

"He will not be in this morning."

"What kind of a bank manager is he?"

"Please sir, if you come with me I will do my best to assist you."

Tony relented and followed the man to his desk.

"How can I be of assistance."

"I need to access a safe deposit box."

"Certainly, Do you have your identification and the safety deposit box number?"

"It's not my safety deposit box."

"I see" The man said hesitantly. "I'm afraid then I cannot help you."

"That is why I needed too see the manager."

"I'm afraid he will not be able to help you as well, we have strict regulations regarding the access to safety deposit boxes, I'm certain you can understand."

Tony let out a frustrated sigh, before continuing. "Look, the box belonged to…" Tony had no idea how to place Ziva's new position in his life. If he said she was his daughter's mother, it would sound cold. And he could not claim that Ziva was his wife either. At most, he could say she is his girlfriend but he knew that would not be enough to convince the man to provide him access. He shook his head. "Look I'll be honest with you, my daughter's mother is the owner of the safety deposit box and I really need to access it. I know this sounds crazy but I have to.

The man looked at him for several moments before finally stating, "Could you provide me with some form of identification?"

Tony did not like the tone of the man's voice, he however provided the man with his passport.

"I see you are American," The clerk said as he took the passport. "If you will just excuse me for a moment." The man said getting up. He disappeared into a security doorway and Tony looked around him, somehow expecting the police to show up.

The man was gone for some time before returning to his desk. "You understand that we have many security measures in place," he said as he handed Tony's passport back to him.

Tony nodded.

"I ran your security number against those listed with the bank." the clerk said, "To be honest I was considering calling the police. Your name and security number did however show up on one of the boxes. You will understand our need to ask certain questions in order to establish your authenticity."

Tony nodded.

"The safety deposit box is owned by whom?"

"Ziva David."

"And her nationality."

"That's tricky. She's Israeli born but holds an American citizenship."

The man nodded.

"And her relationship to you."

"She is the mother of my daughter Tali. I can produce a birth certificate if you like."

"That will not be needed," the man calmly said, "Just one last question, it is a question she selected. Where was the photo taken?"

Tony looked at the man for a moment, confused. Over the years they had taken thousands of photos together, on crime scenes, on trips. He even had some really great ones on her that she had no knowledge of.

"There were many…" Tony answered, when a sudden realization hit him, "Paris."

The man again nodded, "The bank manager has to authorize the opening of the safe deposit box since you are not the registered owner. He should be back from his meeting at twelve." Tony felt his agitation rise, along with his frustration, as the man continued. "I will schedule you an appointment."

Tony nodded, knowing that he had no other option. "Thank you for your time he stated indifferently.

"We will see you later then." The man said rising from his seat again.

Tony also rose and nodded, extending his hand to the man.

Tony exited the bank and opted to walk, he knew movement would be the best manner in which to work off his frustration.

Midday Tony again entered the bank, only this time the receptionist smiled in greeting and accompanied him to the bank manager's office. The man rose on their entry and held out his hand to Tony in greeting, "Mr. DiNozzo."

Tony took his hand fore a mere moment before the man indicated for him to take a seat.

"My apologies for this morning, but you will understand our need for caution, especially on such a matter."

Tony simply nodded.

Just then the man's extension rang, he picked it up, the exchange in German, before returning the receiver to its cradle. "They are ready for you, shall we?" The man said gesturing to the door.

Tony rose and followed the man, who led him through a series of security doors and into a vault lined with boxes. The manager took the key from the guard and proceeded to remove the box. Then walked with it and the guars to a smaller separate room where there was a table.

The man placed the box on the table and said, "Please use the buzzer at the door when you are done, I will prepare the required paperwork for you to sign once you are done."

Tony nodded, the lump in his throat rendering speech difficult as his eyes remained on the deposit box. He held his composure as the men left the room, before stepping forward. His hands shook and his heart thudded in his chest as he reached for the lid, flipping it back.

His entire body sagged as his mind registered the contents, causing him to close his eyes and release a profound sigh. He had no idea what he should have expected to find, but the contents were not it. He lifted one of the bundles of bound notes, establishing it to be about € 10,000. He did a quick calculation and came to € 200,000.

He lifted the black velvet box and cracked it open. The ring was achingly familiar and he closed the box again. Its presence a reminder of a different time, a time when they had grown closer, another time his heart had hoped…only for her to suddenly withdraw again.

A slip of paper under one of the packs on bound notes caught his attention, causing him to unpack the notes. He opened the folded piece of paper, his finger for a moment tracing over the written words. _'You will need the money.'_ The note read. The listed numbers he recognized as a new set of coordinates along with the instruction, _"Go there at noon."_ He looked towards the money and then frowned. He lifted the micro memory card that had fallen on the table and looked it over. Placing the note and the card on the table he reached for his phone and extracted his existing memory card, and replaced it with the other. He accessed the card to discover a series of documents, one of them the location-list of safety deposit boxes. He shook his head, he was not interested in accessing them all. At that moment he felt too old to be doing this. The list was long, and he knew it would not be fair of him to subject Tali or Neta to such a brutal travel itinerary. He returned his phone to his pocket. Placed his memory card in the folded sheet of paper and folded it again before also pocketing it. He looked at the money, deciding to take only two of the bundles and started repacking the others: if he needed more he could always return. He would follow the set of coordinates and see where they led him, and then play it from there. Once done he pressed the call button and the manager returned to take the box and produced the required paperwork. The man seemed surprised when Tony indicated his intent to retain the box.

The coordinates led him to **_Hofbräu_** **, the largest beer hall in** ** _Mitte_** **, and for four days he ordered himself a beer, every time a different one, and a light lunch, before settling to watch the passing crowds. He knew they could not remain there indefinitely and that at some stage he would have to make a decision.**

 **That afternoon he ordered** ** _Weizenbier_** **, with** ** _bradwurst_** **and** ** _kartoffelsalat_** **. The waitress smiled at him after taking his order and left him to his thoughts. There were several patrons in the hall, but it was by no means crowded.**

His attention was drawn by a DHL messenger that entered the hall. The man addressed one of the waitresses before turning to look at him, before taking his leave of the girl.

The man approached him, "Mr. Anthony DiNozzo?" The man asked.

Tony nodded, "That's me,"

The man shook his head, a disbelieving smile crossing his lips. "I have delivered many strange packages to strange locations but this is really a first for me." The man said as he extracted a scanning device from his bag, along with an envelope. He scanned it and turned the device to Tony, "Sign there," he said pointing with the little attached stylus.

Tony signed and the man handed him the envelope. "Thank you," Tony said, still confounded by the occurrence. Once the man had left he flipped over the envelope, checking for a return address, but there was none. He held it up to establish if it had anything in it, eve feeling the contents to ensure it could not possibly be a letter bomb, before opening it. He withdrew the single page from the envelope, reading the typed two-word message thereon. _'Change hotels'_

Tony looked about him even more confused. He had no idea who could have sent him the message, or why. He refolded the paper and finished his meal. If he was being watched he would not yet let on.

Both Tali and Neta objected to the sudden move, the hotel proprietor even queried the sudden departure, vowing to correct whatever it was that had brought about the sudden change.

Tony in an attempt to appease Tali bought her a _pfannkuchen_ , and watched as she reduced the sweet confectionary to a sticky blob, licking the sugar and jam off her fingers, giggling. Her obvious enjoyment caused him to smile, but he knew food could only console one for so long, and that they could not continue in this manner indefinitely. It was the first time he'd come to regret his decision of brining Neta and Tali to Berlin.

They settled in their new accommodation, Tony again having opted for two rooms. He did not even unpack, uncertain as to how long they would remain there. A strange sound from his bag draws his attention. He pulls out the cell phone that had been buried with Tali's certificate. His heart pounded as he checked the screen, 1 SMS. The phone sowed reception, something he had not bothered to check since their arrival. He checked the sender, hoping, but the long series of numbers was enough to indicate it had been sent from a computer or bulk message service. The message contained a different set of coordinates, which only served to frustrate him even further.

It felt as if he was trapped in a very poor rendition of a Bond movie, with no indication whether or not he would even find the Bond-girl, heaven alone knows badly he wanted to find her.

The coordinates led him to _Weihnspanner_ Beer House, also in _Mitte_ close to the U-Bahn Station. The lively atmosphere and live oompah-band served to lift his spirits, if only momentarily as he settled for a pint and watched everyone's lively interaction. The message had not indicated a time only the location, which left him frustrated.

He returned to his room several hours later, his mood having taken a turn for the worse, and prepared for bed.

He had just drifted off to sleep then the click of the door woke him. His heart raced as he reached for his gun, belatedly realizing that he no longer had one. His status as a civilian meant that he was no longer permitted to carry a concealed weapon or a gun outside the States.

Instead he opted to surprise his late night visitor and turned on the bed lamp.

More to follow.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost – Chapter Seven  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it then it does not count as a spoiler.  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **A/N:** Hang in there.  
 **Word Count:** 2,402

Even though the sudden flash of illumination was expected he still winced, needing to blink several times. The figure in the short hallway to the door tried to slip back into the shadows of the short passage, however Tony had already shot out of bed. The moment he'd grabbed hold of the person's shoulder, he knew it was a bad idea. He'd barely had time to register a crucial part of information before he found himself floored.

"Ziva!" he said, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. His intent had been to get to the door before the intruder could flee into the night, he had not considered the possibility that it could be her. He rose to his feet and reached past her to flick the switch, almost reluctant that he had.

She was tired, visibly. The dark marks surrounding her eyes were evident enough of that, as well as the fact that she had not put up more of a fight. She was leaner than she had been the last time they had met and her clothes uncharacteristic for her and she appeared ready to bolt, if needed.

"Where is Tali?" she asked, fearfully.

"She is in the other room with Neta." Tony said, and watched as her body drooped with relief, then started swaying.

"When last did you eat?"

"Yesterday." She flatly replied.

Tony doubted that but indicated for her to go into the room. Her clothes were oversized and somewhat dirty, consisting of several layers.

"New look?' Tony teased her. There was a lot that they needed to discuss but first he had to determine her state of mind.

"It helps me blend in." Ziva flatly said and settled on the bed's edge, her entire body again sagging.

Tony frowned and when she looked at him, he saw it was not just fatigue that haunted her. "Where have you been? How did you get here?" he asked his voice breaking. He wanted to approach her, wanted to touch her again to assure himself that it was not a ghost.

"I have been many places," she said, and he knew her well enough to know that she was not ready or even willing to discuss it. "As to how I got here, it is not important/"

"How long have you been in Germany?"

"Germany, three days." Ziva said. "I was near the Italian border when I received an notification email from the bank that you had been there. I had not thought you would be ahead of me."

"Ziva, it's been more than a month." Tony said, in a way unable to believe it had taken her that long to reach Germany, But also too weary to ask her what had caused the delay. When she did not answer he flatly stated. "You sent the message to change hotels."

Ziva nodded, "I had no idea if you were being followed or not. By changing hotels you would give the impression that you knew, and it would have cautioned them, at least for a short while."

"Were you planning to meet me at the beer hall tonight?"

Ziva shook her head, "I needed you to get in without anyone seeing me."

Tony's heart raced, his entire body turned cold at the thought that she had come for Tali. And even though the reasoning behind her actions made sense, the result angered him. But looking at her, the fact that she was alive opened up countless possibilities. And although he had a million questions that needed answers, he decided to bite his tongue, instead asking. "Where are you staying?"

"Never the same place twice." Ziva said, however Tony heard the actual meaning.

"Stay here." Tony said.

She shook her head.

"I have a hot shower, a clean shirt and a comfortable bed, which is better than wherever you were planning to go."

Ziva looked at him, her eyes had always spoken for her when she couldn't, and he could see she was both wary of his invitation, worried, possibly scared even, but also knackered. He knew she would be less willing to fight him, because all things aside, no matter what happened, she knew she could trust him. He knew he had to keep her there somehow, he needed answers, and even possibly then he would not be willing to let her go – not this time. The last time he had respected her wishes, but things had changed.

He gave her a small flash of a smile and moved to his bag. Pusing the top layer aside he pulled out one of his t-shirts for her and held it out towards her, "Bathroom is there, I think they have a spare toothbrush.

Ziva looked at him hesitantly but then rose and took the t-shirt from him, "Thank you." Before turning for the bathroom.

He held his breath as she moved past him. He watched as she switched on the light and only exhaled when the door clicked shut behind her. And then he became irritable. He moved to check his phone, confirming it was just after midnight, and then started pacing. His mind trying to process the multitude of questions flittering through it, but the most important thing was: he had to make her stay. He became even more restless the longer she remained in the bathroom, however knew there were no windows and she could not have slipped out that way, and he had positioned himself at such an angle that he would see the door open. He heard the shower stop, and then listened. There was silence for several moments and then the hairdryer went on, confirmation enough that she was still there. Another fifteen minutes and she appeared dressed in his shirt, something he relishes, but this time he made a mental list of her condition, more so than allow his imagination or memories reign. She was clean, appeared healthy, although weary. But then with Ziva one never knew.

She turned out the bathroom light and looked about her, finally at him, almost hesitantly. He knew she did not want questions, would not give him answers, but she needed someone she could rely on – and that he could be for her.

He pointed to the other side of the bed, and said, "We've shared before."

Ziva nodded and moved, the fact that she did not goad him was not lost on him. He watched as she hesitantly slipped under the sheets resting her head on the pillow. His heart raced and he felt sick to his stomach as he too got back into bed.

"I used all the shampoo," she whispered.

Of all the things she could have said, that was the last thing he would have expected, but turned to look at her, smiling, "They can replace it in the morning."

His comment caused her to stiffen and he wanted to kick himself, he needed to ease her nerves. Instinctively he reached out to her, placing his hand on her arm. "It's okay." But he had no idea whom he was trying to console. The actual touch doing far more to console him and confirm her presence than it would be comforting for her.

Ziva nodded, but did not move away.

Tony turned back to the lamp and turned it off.

The atmosphere in the room was different, and it was not just her presence there that altered it. He was wide awake, could hear every breath she took, it was strangely comforting, but at the same time terrifying. Even if he weren't wide awake he would find it difficult to sleep, too fearful that she might disappear into the night again… because if anything, that was what she was trained to do.

They needed to talk but he had no desire to talk, just laying there, knowing that she was alive, and in that moment safe, was enough. Anything else they could sort out later.

"Tony," her whisper came from the other side of the bed.

"Sleep, Ziva," He replied instead.

He could feel her body relax at that, and turned on his side to face her. She's also turned on her side but this time with her back to him. Without thought he reached for her and pulled her closer, their bodies automatically positioning themselves.

"Thank you," she whispered.

For what she was thanking him he had no idea, there were so many possibilities.

"Sleep, Ziva, I've got your back."

Time possibly passed too quickly for his liking. For it was not a long while thereafter that her soft snore filled the room. For the first time ever, he would admit he was grateful for it. And yet he knew with every ticking moment morning was approaching, and with it, a need to think of a manner in which to keep her there. He drifted off as well, but the slightest movement, the slightest twitch, pulled him from sleep.

The room grew lighter and he expected her to stir soon, but she didn't. her breathing was silent, her body still in what was possibly the first nigh of decent sleep she had had in some time.

He checked the time then shifted some. He held his breath and then realized that she had not stirred. He slipped from the bed and made his way to the bathroom, he knew it would not be long before Tali came looking for him.

He looked at the pile of dirty clothing in the corner, but decided against searching it. Finishing in the bathroom, he returned to the bedroom only to notice that she had shifted on the bed, enough for him to indicate that she somehow knew he was not there anymore, but not enough to indicate whether she was still asleep.

He moved to his bag and opened the compartment that had the money in it. He unbound one of the bundles and halved it, folding the notes and placing them in his pocket, before returning the others to the bag. Watching her, he picked up the key card and the do not disturb sign and made for the door.

Once in the passageway he hung the sign on the door and then went to the neighbouring room and knocked on the door.

He could hear Tali's excited calls of "Aba" on the other side of the door. Neto spoke to her in Hebrew, he could not make out the words only the sounds before opening the door.

"You are early." She said almost accusingly.

"Neta, I need to ask a favour of you." Tony said as Tali 'caught' his legs and squeezed them.

Neti frowned at Tony's lowered voice, and asked, "Is there trouble?"

Tony thought it over for a moment and then looked towards his room, "Well that depends on your interpretation of trouble."

"Come in." Neta said stepping back, but Tony shook his head. Again glancing to his room.

"I need to keep an eye on my room."

His words caused her to frown. "What is it?" She asked with concern.

Tony reached into his pocket and withdrew the money, I need you to go and get some woman's things," Tony said handing her the money.

"Tony?" she asked as she took the money.

"Anything someone could need. From privates right through to toiletries."

"Tony?" Neta's voice took on an alarmed note.

"Please just trust me," Tony pleaded.

"What have you done?"

Tony took a deep breath but lowered his voice as he spoke. "Ziva is in my room."

Neta's eyes bulged in disbelief, shaking her head, but asking "How?"

"The how is not important, getting her clothes and such is. If I went out it would look suspicious."

Neta nodded, "I understand, me shopping for woman's things would be normal, but what about Tali?"

"Leave her with me."

"Tony, you are not telling me something." Neta said.

"There is a lot I don't even know yet." Tony said.

"And if she takes Tali?"

It was a question Tony had purposely avoided asking himself. He'd reasoned through the night that if she had wanted to then she could have taken Tali with right from the start, but something had made her choose differently. Something he still had to get out of her.

"I cannot stop her if she does, but I don't think she will."

Neta nodded.

Tony then turned to Tali. He reached down and lifted her, "Morning, how would you like to spend breakfast with me."

The little girl eagerly nodded.

"And I have a surprise for you, but you have to be quiet." Tony said in his most conspiring voice, lifting his finger to his lips.

Tali picked up on his mood and also lifted her finger to her lips, nodding.

Tony looked at Neta, "Thank you."

Neta shook her head, "You are the one who should be thanked, her trust in you has wavered."

Tony did not respond to that, considering Tali he knew that somehow it had. He smiled instead and lowered Tali to the ground taking her hand. "Come."

He opened the door to his hotel room and allowed Tali in first but held onto her hand. He knew it was wrong, but he hoped that Tali would provide the leverage he so sorely needed.

They had hardly cleared she short passage when Tali called, "Ima!" worming her hand from his.

Ziva shot out of bed, in a move that told him she'd been startled awake, yet ready to fight. She turned towards them, her eyes shifting to moving bundle of curls racing towards her.

"Tali," Ziva gasped, her eyes lit up as she dropped to her haunches, just in time to mitigate the impact of the girl's embrace. Ziva wrapped her arms around Tali, drew her in closer, held her in a tight embrace, blinking several times. Her eyes shifted to Tony, the unshed tears in them all the confirmation he had needed. He knew without a doubt that if Ziva could have she would have taken Tali with her, leaving him in the dark about his daughter's existence.

In a way he was pleased that it had happened, but knew the dangers of taking pleasure in such occurrences.

"Thank you," Ziva said, hardly above a whisper as she picked up Tali, the little girl babbled something in Hebrew, the only word that made sense to him was aba.

"Yes Tali," Ziva said, her voice heavy with praise as the little girl looked towards Tony, beaming. "You found aba."

More to follow.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Ziva's Ghost – Chapter Eight  
 **Rating:** M has adult themes.  
 **Timeline:** Post Season 13.  
 **Spoilers:** If you've seen it, it doesn't count as a spoiler.  
 **Language:** International English.  
 **A/N:** No, I haven't given up on them yet, nor have I forgotten about the story.  
 **Word Count:** 2,589

It was strange, really, he'd gotten to know his daughter but within moments of Ziva's appearance it was as if he no longer existed. After supplying Ziva with a pair of sweats he'd as much as blended into the background, ordering breakfast and simply watching them as they interacted. Tali and Ziva exchanged countless habitual gestures and exchanges he had never before seen – from either mother or child.

His anger constantly simmered beneath the surface as he watched them. Ziva was unguarded around her daughter in a manner he had only seen glimpses of before. It had him question whether Ziva had ever trusted him, really trusted him, at all. But it also confirmed something else – than no matter what Ziva would place her child's safety above everything else. In a manner it meant that she trusted him, that she knew him, but it offered very little comfort when face with the magnitude of moments and interactions he had missed out on.

If Tali suspected something she did not let on. And it was only as lunchtime approached that the little girl once again took notice of him. She rushed towards him and hugged him. bubbling away some words in English other in Hebrew. However a knock at his door interrupted them.

Tony lifted his index finger to his lips, something Tali quickly copied and then allowed him to pick her up and head for the door. He saw Ziva startle, almost as if she wanted to stop him. But as quickly as it had appeared it was gone again.

Tony opened the door and was relieved to find Neta on the other side, she held several parcels and looked from him to Tali, her brow marred immediately.

"Come in Neta," Tony said and then stepped aside.

Neta continued to look at him and Tony pointed inwards causing the elderly woman to nod.

Neta made her way deeper into the room and for several moments looked at Ziva, with a scornful expression.

Tony lowered Tali to the bed and said, "I sent Neta to get you a few things," He then looked at his watch and added, "And since we are to keep up appearances, I will leave for lunch at one of the local beer halls.

He moved to pick up his wallet and gave Tali a hug before looking at Ziva. Their eyes locked and held for several long moments before she nodded, "I will be here when you get back."

It was not that which concerned him as much it was what they would do, needed to do after he got back. For he could see from the expression on Neta's face that she also had several things she intended to tell Ziva.

Tony made his way outdoors. Oddly the weather seemed better. One could almost say warmer. But even that illusion he doubted. He made his way along the streets, taking in the scenery, knowing that if someone ever asked him a single thing about it he would be unable to answer them. And yet he knew that he had to be vigilant, possibly even more so.

He settled for the same beer hall he'd eaten at for several days, yet did not feel hungry and simply ordered a beer. He then sat for some time nursing it while taking short intermitted sips. To any onlooker he would have appeared to be deep in thought, yet his mind could not settle on one individual thought. That was a lie. The predominant topic was Ziva, but too many random thoughts flittered through his mind to settle on only one. His phone buzzed in his pocket, he ignored it, knowing it could be any of many things but if it was the one thing he feared most it could wait.

Yet try as he liked he could not manage it. It felt as if his phone had suddenly gained four pounds. He finally pulled the phone from his pocket and checked the message. It was from Neta informing him that both girls were taking an afternoon nap.

In a manner he was relieved, because it meant that Ziva _would_ still be there when he arrived. But at the same time it concerned him even more, for he knew chances were that if she slept the afternoon she would be leaving again the evening and he had not yet figured out how he could prevent that.

He wandered about the city, well aware that his actions would appear somewhat meaningless in relation to what they had been before. As much as he wanted to return to the hotel room, he was not entirely ready to face Ziva again. Shock was one thing, anger was another and at any given time he had no idea which one reigned. He and Ziva may have said many things in anger in the past, but he's always known she would still be there the following day. This was the one time he could not allow her to disappear into the night again – possibly taking Tali with her. This time he knew that if she disappeared he would not find her, for he no longer had the resources available to him. He was tired of the game anyway.

He looked out over the city's square. It seemed so serene, a complete antithesis of the turmoil he felt… and yet it calmed him. The knowledge that at that very moment the two most important people in his life were safe, resting, eased his mood. It was another thing that would tip off any observers. But then it would also seem fitting if they returned home, inevitable even. Tali could not travel indefinitely and Neta also had to return home. Convincing Ziva however remained the only obstacle.

Tony returned to the hotel and for a moment stood outside the door to his room. He could hear Tali's infectious giggles and they made him smile. In his eyes she was the most perfect little human being, worth fighting for more than he ever fought for her mother. He would keep her no matter what he had to put Ziva through.

Tony swiped his card and entered the room and within moments Tali's ecstatic cry of Aba was followed by her hasty dash towards him. Even before Tali could 'catch' his legs he caught and lifted her, "There's my cleaver girl."

Tali gave him a hug and then immediately wiggled to be let down again.

Tony then watched Ziva as Tali did some skipping manoeuvres around the room.

Without a word Neta got up and collected Tali. The little girl objected but after a few stern words in Hebrew she complied.

"You two need to talk," Neta said as she led Tali from the room.

Tony looked at them as they left the room and then turned his attention back to Ziva. Neta's choice of clothing was more akin to the Ziva he knew, than the one who'd appeared in his hotel room the night before.

He also noticed her hesitation, which possibly even bordered on an unwillingness to talk. And when she said nothing he asked, "What was that about?"

"Neta does not always agree." Ziva said.

"Meaning the two of you had a fight."

Ziva nodded her head and then said, "She does not always understand reason."

"I guess that depends on your reasoning."

Ziva again said nothing.

"What does she not understand?" Tony asked.

"That I have to go." Ziva answered flatly.

Tony's immediate reaction was anger and resistance. He knew Ziva had also noticed his reaction, for she braced.

Irately he asked, "Why?" knowing that the question would possibly catch her off guard, which was he needed to do, if he had any hope of keeping her there.

"I cannot remain in one place for more than one night, not if I am to remain safe. As it is I have already placed you and Tali in enough danger."

"Bullshit!" He exclaimed, startling Ziva. "No one knows you're here, and you're as safe with me as you would be on the run, safer actually."

"You do not know that!" Ziva quickly countered.

"I think our history pretty much covers that argument."

Ziva intensely countered, "This has nothing to do with us, it has to do with me and what I have done. I have always known that those who get too close to me usually gets killed!" Lowering her voice she added, "I did not want that for either you or Tali."

Tony looked a t her for several moments before replying, "If there is one thing I leaned from being your partner, it was that we were safer together than apart, something always happens."

Ziva made to say something but was cut short, "Both Farsoun and Cort were nailed, I made certain of that."

Ziva looked at him and uncertainly said, "They were the ones behind it?"

"You didn't know?" Tony asked, surprised.

"I only received warning that someone was asking too many questions about me."

"So you just left!" It came out harsher than he'd intended.

Ziva didn't flinch and just as harshly retorted, "It is not that simple! You do not think I had doubts, you do not think that it was hard to leave Tali! I would not have done it if it was not to keep her safe!"

Tony looked at her in shock, having so many things he could say to counter her statement, but he also knew that with Tali in either Mossad's care or his own, she would have been safe. He also had seen enough of Ziva and Tali's interaction to know that it was not a decision she made lightly. He tilted his head and said, "Did you ever even consider what I would go through when they told me you were dead and that oh, by the way, here is your daughter Tali."

Ziva looked visibly shocked and dropped her gaze to the floor. With a dejected tone she said, "I did not know how to tell you."

"Well how about lifting the phone and at least telling me that I'm a father."

"It is not that simple."

"Why not? Tony angrily demanded.

"Because it was not something you wanted or even planned!" retorted Ziva. "I was not willing to use her." Ziva pointed to the room next door.

Tony jolted as if he'd been hit and the asked, "What do you mean by that."

Ziva drew in a deep breath, visibly braced herself and then said, "You do not think I am that naive to believe that you would have welcomed us with open arms."

"You never gave me the chance."

Ziva flatly stated, "I had to do what was best for Tali."

"Best for Tali or best for you," Tony challenged. He watched as the all to familiar spark light in her eyes, the one that told him he had hit a nerve, but also that he was in for a full blown fight.

"I would rather have her grow up thinking well of you than have her face the reality that her father…"

Tony did not allow her to finish, challenging, "That I what?"

"That you would not have time for her… or us in your life." Ziva angrily retorted.

Tony was for a moment at a loss, of all reasons, arguments or even possible excuses that was the last one he expected. He knew that it partially stemmed from their own histories, neither of their fathers had been good parental role models. He looked at her for several moment realizing that it was not just a fear she had for Tali but that it was also something she also feared. Although how she could think it he did not know, could not deduce that, confused him, causing him to retort, "So had this not happened, I would have remained oblivious of the fact that I am a father!"

Ziva appeared uncertain, her gaze dropped to the ground although she shook her head. She moved several paced, visibly calming herself. The action indicative enough that she had been prepared for this argument more so than he ever could have been.

"Tali in many ways is like you, not just her eyes, but her…" Ziva gestured with her hands as she sought the right word, "…her insistence and curiosity." Ziva turned back to face him and continued, "I knew that the time would come when simple answers were not going to appease her curiosity. This however happened before I could come to any…" again Ziva waived her hands, "Decisions… yes decision on the matter."

"So you just continued to make the decisions without consulting me!" Tony angrily countered.

"It is not that simple!" Ziva defied, "There were many times I wanted to tell you, but I knew you would not be pleased. A baby, no matter how special or loved she is, was not something one of us considered that night."

"That does not mean she would have been unwanted." Tony countered. "I'm not stupid Ziva, I been around, I know the probable result of making love without anything." He saw her flinch at that, knew he'd hit a cord and pushed on, "We both know it and neither of us brought it up. Do you really think news of your pregnancy would have surprised me?"

Ziva shook her head.

Tony knew she had all her defences up. It remained an instinctive response whenever someone touched on a sensitive subject, her submissiveness and unwillingness to lash out at him for it meant that she had no reason to contest it. He released a heavy sigh and clenched his hands, knowing that if he pushed her too far she would slam completely shut, which was something he didn't need. Tone shook his head and said, "This is it. I'm done. No more cover cloak and dagger. I am taking Tali and we are going home. You can do what you like but I refuse to subject her to this any longer." Tony saw the shock on Ziva's face as he continued, "She has a right to a normal life, one that doesn't involve moving around constantly searching for her mother."

"You can't do that!"

"Yes I can. Technically you are considered dead and I am her primary caregiver now." Tony countered. "You can either go home with us or you are out on your own, I'm done with the tracking and chasing."

Ziva looked at him visibly shocked and stunned, but he could also see her anger. He knew he shouldn't use Tali like that but he just wanted it to end. He just wanted them to be a family, the could work out all the complexities later. "We can work out something to get you home, I can ask Gibbs for help if you don't have a passport. You will still be listed as an American citizen so you will not have any trouble entering the country."

"I have my passports." Ziva stated flatly, "But they are not here, they are with my other things that I will have to go collect.

"I'll fetch them." Tony quickly said, his fear that she would again slip into the shadows if he allowed her to leave remained dominant. He was not willing to chance it, or the possibility that she could take Tali with her. He had to take Neta in his confidence and figure out how they would book the tickets home.

Ziva remained silent for several moments before finally nodding.


End file.
